1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to voltage converters and, more particularly, to DC-to-DC voltage converters.
2. Background Information
Direct-current (DC) to direct-current (DC) converters are well-known in the art. Such circuitry or devices are typically employed to convert from one DC voltage signal level to another DC voltage signal level. This may be useful in a variety of environments.
One situation that is frequently an issue with such converters occurs when a sizable load is applied to the converter. A relatively sudden increase in load may be approximated as a step function and, as is well-known, typically results in a transient voltage signal in the circuitry to which the step function is applied. Therefore, typically a transient voltage signal will occur in those situations in which a sudden increase in load is applied to a DC-to-DC converter. Such transients, however, are undesirable because one of the functions of a DC-to-DC converter is to maintain an output voltage signal level within a particular voltage signal window or set of voltage signal boundaries to ensure, for example, that the operation of the circuitry being powered by the DC-to-DC converter is not substantially affected by the sudden increase in load.
One way that state of the art DC-to-DC converters address this situation is by employing bulk capacitance. Therefore, when a transient results from the application of a sizable load, the capacitors release stored charge to compensate at least partially for the transient voltage signal and to provide the DC-to-DC converter additional time to adjust to the increase in load.
Unfortunately, the use of bulk capacitance has several disadvantages. For example, such capacitance takes up additional room in the system in which the DC-to-DC converter is being employed. Likewise, in production, adding this bulk capacitance to the circuitry is relatively inconvenient and, therefore, also introduces additional expense and time in the production process. Therefore, it would be desirable if a technique or method were available to reduce the amount of capacitance employed with a DC-to-DC converter while still providing the capability of the DC-to-DC converter to maintain the output voltage signal level within the desired voltage signal window or voltage signal level bounds even when a sizable or significant load is applied.
Briefly, in accordance with one embodiment of the invention, a DC-to-DC converter includes: a circuit configuration to modify the set point of the output voltage signal level of the DC-to-DC converter circuit in response to a transient signal by an amount related, at least in part, to the magnitude of the transient signal.
Briefly, in accordance with yet another embodiment of the invention, a DC-to-DC converter circuit includes: a high-side and a low-side voltage switching device. The switching devices are coupled in a circuit configuration to apply a control voltage signal to each switching device based, at least in part, on the state of the other switching device.